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New York Islanders 3, Boston Bruins 3 FINAL OT

BOSTON (AP) -- The New York Islanders celebrated like winners, while the
Boston Bruins were left to wonder how they let a valuable point in the
standings slip away.

Trent Hunter and Adrian Aucoin scored four minutes apart midway through the
third period, helping the Islanders tie the Bruins 3-3 on Saturday night.

With Boston looking as if it was in control and en route to its second
straight home win, the Islanders struck for a pair of goals.

"That was a good point," New York coach Steve Stirling said.

The Bruins' Patrice Bergeron scored a power-play goal late in the second
period, and Sandy McCarthy made it 3-1 early in the third, before Hunter and
Aucoin scored.

"The boys battled tonight. We were down 3-1 and could have eventually
quit," Hunter said. "We weren't going to give up. It's definitely great to
get a point out of it."

Boston, which has struggled at home most of the season was hoping to build
on a 3-2 win over Toronto at the FleetCenter on Thursday night

"It's disappointing because when you're up 3-1 at home after two periods
you feel like you should get two points," Boston defenseman Sean O'Donnell
said. "The minute you let up the other team smells blood and they come after
you. That's what they did tonight."

New York is 6-1-1 in its last seven games, while Boston dropped to 1-5-5 in
its last 11 home games.

"Anytime you have a two-goal lead you're disappointed," Boston coach Mike
Sullivan said.

The Islanders started their rally when Hunter scored out of scramble in
front with just over 12 minutes left.

Aucoin's wrist shot from the slot slipped off goalie Felix Potvin's glove
and into the net, tying the game with 8:10 left in regulation.

"I think it might have kind of knuckled on him," Aucoin said.

Potvin admitted the shot fooled him.

"I really don't know what happened," he said. "It just dipped. It was
going in my glove and it dipped at the last second."

Sergei Samsonov also scored for Boston. Mariusz Czerkawski had the
Islanders' first goal.

McCarthy's goal gave Boston a 3-1 lead 2:40 into the third period. He beat
goalie Garth Snow with a slap shot from the right circle, but New York cut it
to one on Hunter's goal with 12:10 to play.

Boston moved ahead 2-1 when Mike Knuble, who had a pair of assists, tipped a
soft pass to Bergeron. The 18-year-old rookie shifted before beating Snow with
a wrist shot for his 10th goal.

Boston opened the scoring on Samsonov's goal 32 seconds into the game. New
York tied it midway through the first period, with Czerkawski finishing off a
two-on-one break by slipping a shot between Potvin's pads.

The Islanders had won six straight prior to a 1-0 loss in Ottawa on Thursday
night. That streak came shortly after losing a season-high seven in a row.

"I think we learned a lot after our long stretch of losing that there's
always a chance," Aucoin said.